After You
by SlvrSoleAlchmst1
Summary: Very soon, they'll set sail on their test to become Keyblade Masters. Riku still has fears about the darkness in his heart, but Sora will always make sure Riku comes back to the light.


"I can't believe we're finally doing this, even if it is just for a test," said Riku, right as Sora was about to make the same confession. Riku said it softly, though, running his hands along the boards they had laid down. "Building a raft, to leave Destiny Island. We used to talk about it, but we never got to finish."

Sora said, from where he stood sinking a little in the sizzling sand, "And now we really get to go! To see even more incredible worlds!"

Riku corrected, "To wake them up from sleeping, as we find their sleeping keyholes. But… do you think Yen Sid did it on purpose? He started off our test to become Keyblade Masters here, like this…."

Sora had been poised to sprint down to the water, splash, and then come back. Wetting his feet in a dip sounded nice. "Hm? Maybe." He remembered his task. "In any case, I guess we've gotta warm our muscles up on somethin'!" Sora flexed exaggeratedly. He had to focus.

"Heh. You're hopeless." Riku went back to sanding the boards.

A seagull trilled a call like a reply. Sora tipped his head back to find it, and watch it reel and swoop among the clouds. When he breathed in, he could taste the salty breeze. His hands felt baked, from the yellow ball of sun. Even if this world was only a dream, all of Sora's senses enjoyed being home.

But his sixth sense always tingled when he thought about further adventures. He hoped they'd get the raft done soon. What were Donald and Goofy doing, while Sora and Riku got ready to leave here?

Sora picked up the hammer they had found, crouched again, and swung it like a keyblade.

He liked the rhythm of the handiwork. _Thud. Thud._

"Hey."

Sora kept working. _T__huddity thud._

"You're nailing that piece from the total wrong angle." Riku didn't look up from his steady sanding.

Sora stood back from the raft, winced, and grinned.

Riku didn't look at Sora's sheepish face. He laughed at Sora, but only a little. The silver laugh sounded kind, under his breath.

Sora felt his cheeks get hot. He decided to face the waves. They stirred, vivid blue, like Riku's eyes.

"What, you're giving up already?"

"No way! Am not," Sora said.

"Then come back here, and try again."

Even though Sora faced away from Riku now, he caught the humor in Riku's voice, like curtains caught the gentle breeze.

Sora liked it when Riku was relaxed – especially when Riku also didn't mind having to fix Sora's mistakes. The absence of tension seemed to loosen Riku's shoulders. Sora turned around again, just so that he could see it.

Riku's neck looked like a swan's, dipped still in his fierce concentration. He said, "Why don't you help me with the sail cloth?"

Sora thought about it for a moment; he wasn't sure what he'd be the best at. He still held the hammer in one hand. He glanced at it… and then down at Riku's lap, where the cloth they had carried was being spread out. Such a blinding white material, with the sun here. Sora squinted.

Riku threw the sailcloth at him.

"_Hoomffh!_" Sora made a breathless sound. The sailcloth's shadow snuffed out all the light as it covered his head. His arms windmilled at first, and then he made some swimming motions. Then Sora started rolling in the sand, grunting and getting flustered.

And getting a lot more tangled.

"It's useless," said Riku. "Can't get out like that. The sail's huge; if you struggle, you'll get more trapped in it."

"So, help me," said Sora. Riku started laughing.

Under the sailcloth, Sora slowly smiled. Twice now, he'd gotten to hear Riku's laugh – the sound of softness touching Riku's voice. The voice Sora had missed, for a long time.

He couldn't believe they were finally together.

"Hey, Riku," Sora said then, resigning himself to the cloth-trap at last. He sat cross-legged under it, atop the warm and lumpy sand.

The sound of new hammering. Riku's short breaths. "Hm?" Riku had taken over Sora's job, without the slightest hesitation. Sora could imagine him tossing his bangs, or tucking a stray lock back behind one pale ear.

"You're not scared to do this, right?"

The hammering paused. "_You're _not, Sora, are you?" The hint of a smirk, as Riku turned the question into his presumptuous answer.

And yet, the answer didn't feel assertive, as Riku probably wanted it to seem. Sora cast his eyes down at once, despite not being visible underneath the sail.

Riku sounded like he deferred to Sora, or held himself to what he now believed were Sora's higher standards. Riku pushed himself, like he'd keep up with Sora, no matter what he felt inside his own heart.

Yes. Gone were the days that Riku ran ahead of Sora, winning every race and being arrogant about it. Riku used to slap Sora hard on the back, and say, _You'll catch up to me, some day, Sora. Maybe._

Sora frowned, remaining hidden by the sail. It seemed he kept forgetting about their new dynamic, the more they worked together here with fat palm trees swaying above them. It felt like old times, but… it wasn't.

Sora didn't mind that Riku had changed; Sora took changes in stride. Riku would always be Riku to him. But….

Sora still remembered what had happened.

Maybe they hadn't had time to digest it. Riku….

The last time Riku had walked down to the water, to talk about leaving, he'd been calm and fearless. _I'm not afraid of the darkness, _he'd uttered. But since then, darkness and Riku had danced deep and desperate tangos.

Sora wasn't sure Riku could claim he didn't feel afraid anymore. Or anxious, or guilty, or sheepish – even now, back home, here on Destiny Island, where they could pretend nothing trying had happened.

How could anyone forget so much darkness? Would it bother Riku now, as they headed into this new test? Sora didn't want Riku to feel too anxious. He didn't want Riku to think he needed to be brave, either – just because Riku thought _Sora_ was fearless. What if those emotions only ruined Riku's focus, and Riku couldn't become a true Keyblade Master?

"You know, Sora, I can't see you, but I still know exactly what you're thinking."

Sora flushed hot, underneath the sailcloth. Too warm in here now? He would have to climb out.

He felt out with his arms, flailing again.

The air rushed in and cooled his cheeks.

Riku had lifted a corner to free him. "I'm not scared of going out there, and finding we might have to fight again. The two of us together can crush any kind of challenge, and save everybody. Just like saving Kairi."

Sora stumbled back out into the sun, avoiding Riku's gaze when Riku said it. Complex emotions crunched up Riku's features, whenever they talked about Kairi together.

Riku put the sailcloth down. "No, I guess that's not completely true. It's impossible to say that I'm not frightened. We saved a lot of people, but it wasn't everyone. We let DiZ go, so he could follow his heart's path, but there was someone else we weren't able to save. Our efforts couldn't help his burdened heart." Sora froze near the raft, stunned, as Riku finished. "That's the truth I get afraid of, Sora."

"Who didn't we save?" Sora demanded. He itched to call forth his keyblade, but didn't yet open his hand to receive it. Sora thought instead, guiltily, about the unfair fate of Roxas. If Sora could have, he knew he would have forged a way for Roxas to be his own person—

Riku's lips curved up, but not with humor. Sora held his gaze, agitated, trying not to lick his lips to show his apprehension. "_I_ was compromised, Sora, remember? I helped you, and I left with you, but none of us – including me – could save me from the marks the darkness had already left inside me. I don't fear the darkness itself, when I find its traces still tainting me, inside all my thoughts and dreams. But having been consumed by it, even just once…." Riku trailed off. He seemed to swallow, as he looked away. "That part _does_ make me afraid. Still."

"That—that part's over." Sora tried a grin. "And don't fool yourself, Riku. We definitely saved you." Sora made fists in his gloves.

Riku's expression remained painstakingly blank. "I think that I could get away, if darkness came at me again. I fought against my darkness, and I won, but Sora, don't you understand? That darkness is now rooted in my heart. I'm scared for what that means when we head forward. Am I really fit to be a Keyblade Master, with that shadow always there? It's not like having so much light, like you."

"Get real, Riku! You're gonna do perfect!" Sora's voice came out too shrill.

"Can you say that for sure?"

"Yeah, I'm saying it now!"

"What if my confidence about walking the road to dawn doesn't last, and I lose the struggle, and I hurt you again?" Riku looked down at his palms, as if both disgusted and fascinated. Despite the blazing sun, Sora felt like ice floating inside a chilly bucket. "What if people can't run forever from the darkness that's inside them, Sora?"

Sora took a sharp breath, at a loss. "Why?" he asked, after a pause. "Why would it come back, Riku? Why would it come back to find you? What makes you think that we couldn't still fight it?"

"Because now, I care about you even more."

Sora's breath hitched, this time – nearly stopped. He couldn't speak for a moment. The hiss of a wave seemed to fill up his ears. "R-Riku—"

Riku was shaking his head, sweeping back his choppy hair, and gazing at their half-done raft while the sun flirted with some evening clouds. "The darkness took me in the first place because I was focusing on you. I didn't want you with anyone else. Now here we are, back on the island, and I'm remembering those thoughts again. They're combining with the feelings I have now. This is really… a hard test."

Sora's heart rate picked up, violent, so he took a fast, quizzical step. "Well. It isn't easy to be a keyblade bearer, Riku. But, listen – we're definitely gonna make it through. This time, I won't make you get so jealous. Even if I hang out with Donald and Goofy—"

"It isn't like that this time, Sora." Then, to Sora's further distress, Riku smiled.

The smile looked like crystalline hearts breaking. Sora didn't know why, but he thought that he might cry, just witnessing it.

"I know now," said Riku, "that you'll always be my friend. I'm glad, Sora – and you know I'll always be yours. But I won't make it back into the light, if I have to lose you again."

Sora felt his heart jump. "Riku…."

"If we're separated, then I think the darkness still inside me—"

Sora closed his wide-hanging mouth. "That's not gonna happen," he exclaimed. "I'm not losing you any more, either." Sora walked toward Riku in the sand, skin thrumming, heart pumping, not knowing why he felt so strongly_._

Riku's eyes flew wide, and he backed up, to keep Sora from reaching him. Sora witnessed Riku's expression; he faltered, and stopped a few paces away.

In the relentless sunlight, they examined each other, a little too tense – until Riku dropped his face into a tired, woodwork-callused hand. "I've gone and made you angry, haven't I. I'm dragging you down with me, far from the light."

Sora thought about it, and decided that Riku was wrong. Just wrong. "Hey."

"I'm sorry, Sora. I'm falling apart." Riku's voice came out a little shaky, which made Sora think he might tremble also. "Even you can see it right now, can't you? All my darkness, lurking there."

"Everyone has darkness, Riku. It comes out just like light, when we feel strongly. But it's okay to be afraid. What matters is that darkness doesn't ever drown your light completely!" On the inside, Sora thought, _Don't do this. I can't stand to see you sad. I can't force a smile, to watch you like that._

But Sora still smiled. He smiled for Riku.

Riku seemed to consider him, and settle on a frightfully calm thought. Riku's voice dropped again, when next he spoke. "Sora. If the darkness ever really ate me whole, and this time, never, ever gave me back…. I don't intend to lose, but… if I lose, I don't want you to blame yourself."

Sora had his lips cinched tight, and now he realized tears prickled his lashes. "Errgh, _Riku! _Don't talk like that!"

Riku motioned to Sora's forming tears. "You see? You're such a sentimental sap. You'd worry it was all your fault. Don't – okay, Sora?"

Sora knew what Riku wanted to tell him. Guilt was a feeling darkness could cling to. And grief. If those emotions started to drag Sora down—

"Promise me you'll never let the darkness take you, too." Riku's pale, smooth hair glinted, as bright and soft as the white sand.

Sora bit the inside of his cheek. _How?_ How could Riku think himself the vessel for anything except the brightest kind of light?

Sora punched Riku square onto the sand.

Riku landed on his tailbone. "Hey! Wh—?"

Before he could stop himself, Sora was shouting. "Even if you're lost in dark, and even if it's all because of me, _I'm_ never gonna let go of the light – so I'll always be there to bring it to you!"

Riku looked up, through his thin, silver bangs.

"Just like you've always brought light to me, Riku!"

Riku's hands stay splayed behind him. "Sora—"

Sora couldn't stem further reply. "Don't be so stupid! You're not all alone! Don't you forget that I chased you and chased you. I _always_ will, Riku, because you're my friend. We can beat any tough challenge together. No amount of darkness, Heartless, Nobodies, Maleficents or Ansems will ever change that!" Sora let his arms piff down, back against his puffy shorts. "I'll come after you, Riku," he said. "I'll dive into the blackest darkness. Even if I'm not strong enough at first, I'll level up, and I'll come after you."

Riku suddenly looked at the sea. "How can you be so certain of yourself?"

"I'm not," said Sora. The statement was true.

_Weakness is okay, Riku. If you want _me_ to be the weak one, I don't mind showing that side to you right now, if it will help you fight your hesitation._ _Even if it's hard for me to relate to it most of the time—_

Riku laughed. Sora scowled at him.

"Your face looks ridiculous, squished up like that." Riku managed a half-grin from the sand.

Sora dropped down next to him, instantly more relieved than he could say.

And so, he stuffed a handful of sand down Riku's white-and-yellow vest.

"Hey!" Riku tried to shake the sand away, but Sora wedded both their fingers next.

Before Sora could help himself or let Riku jerk out of reach, Sora lifted Riku's hand – and planted an exaggerated, smacking kiss atop Riku's broad knuckles.

"Disney magic," he said. "Kisses make things better. Sleeping Beauty says so."

"_Sora_," Riku said. He sighed.

Sora dropped Riku's hand, and Riku, looking slightly flushed, dropped to his back again, near the sailcloth.

As Riku tucked his head into the cradle of his hands, Sora watched. Then Sora said, "Do you know what?"

"Good friend of mine."

Sora huffed air through his lips. He rolled up one sleeve and he pulled his arm back, forgetting for the moment what he'd planned to say.

Riku caught the punch mid-air.

"Don't forget saying you won't leave me, Sora." Their noses were close. Riku held Sora's eyes. "Because I'm past the point where I can think of leaving you." Sora held Riku's eyes back, trusting Riku's resolution, and their friendship.

"Riku," Sora said, "We can't leave each other. Even if we're far apart—" Sora touched his heart, so that it represented faith, and light, "—we'll keep each other right in here."

* * *

**Author Note:** _The "good friend of mine" line belongs to _**anja-chan**_, who delivered it seamlessly in a conversation, made me crack up, and told me I could use it. The reason I even remembered I had this fic (it had been sitting around, half-written) was because _**PhoenixSempai**_ was sick, and mentioned Kingdom Hearts would cheer her up. Then I was able to power through and finish because we've all been thinking recently of the game series for cosplay purposes. So, cheers. _


End file.
